


Changing Destiny

by mandagrammy



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Drama, M/M, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-09
Updated: 2015-01-09
Packaged: 2018-03-06 19:34:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3146048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mandagrammy/pseuds/mandagrammy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I have something a little different from my usual romantic story for you.  This is a What If story.  What If Justin did not meet Brian during his Senior year.  What if he was bashed for a different reason.  Do you remember that one moment in the show when Justin wished he had died from the bashing... when he lost it and pushed his mother down?  What if those suicidal thoughts went further, but a guardian angel steps in to give him a glimpse of what he will miss if he dies?  Will it be enough for our young man to fight for his life?  Or is it too late to change his destiny?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Changing Destiny

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.

Part One: The Plan

The young man with golden hair and eyes the color of a clear, blue sky checked himself one last time in the mirror before his big entrance downstairs. His name was Justin Taylor and he was about to enjoy one of the biggest rites of passage a teenage boy or girl could experience. Tonight was Senior Prom night and Justin had made up his mind that more than the music and dancing was going to be remembered by his classmates at St. James Academy. Tonight, Justin Taylor was officially coming out of the closet for the first time.

Justin was well aware that many of his classmates already suspected what his orientation was, even though he had never been with another boy or pranced around like some of the more effeminate gays that couldn't hide who they were even if they had wanted to. Most of them didn't give him too much trouble over their suspicions. Of course there was always the exception. Chris Hobbs and his group of footballers were an example of that. They loved taunting him and trying to provoke him whenever they got the chance. Normally Justin ignored them, but his resentment had been building all through his Senior year and that had a lot to do with his decision to make his move this night. It would be one last big 'Fuck You' to folks like Hobbs. He knew just how he was going to do it too.

Justin had several friends at school but only two that he was truly close to and spent any time with out of school. His neighbor, Daphne, was the most important to him. They had been friends since grammar school and he adored her. He knew the feeling was mutual. The other was a kid who had just enrolled in their school at the beginning of the second semester. His name was Ethan Gold, and he was a transfer student from out of State. Justin was totally involved in his artistic pursuits and Ethan had the same dedication to his musical dreams. They hit it off when they realized that they both longed to enter the Pittsburgh Institute of Fine Arts after graduation. They often spent hours discussing their goals for the future after graduation. Justin also suspected that Ethan had a crush on him. It was the little things, like certain looks Ethan gave him when he thought Justin wasn't looking that gave it away. Ethan also made little comments once in a while that could easily have been interpreted as flirting, although not blatantly.

Ethan figured heavily in what Justin planned for this night. The three of them were going to the dance together, although Justin knew that Daphne wasn't as keen on Ethan as he was. Justin put it down to a touch of jealousy on her part, but she was never rude to Ethan so he wasn't too concerned. The three of them would probably have a lot of fun during the evening's festivities, but Justin was going to give Ethan a surprise he would never expect. Justin smiled into the mirror just thinking about his plans. The smile turned to a frown for a brief moment when he thought of how the whole thing would affect his family, especially his father. He suspected his mother wouldn't be that surprised, since she had been hinting that he could come to her anytime if he had anything he wanted to tell her. She had been acting that way a lot for months now. His father was a different story.

Craig Taylor had always said he was proud of his son, but they had never really been as close as Justin would have liked. He loved his father, but Craig always seemed too busy to take any extra time to talk with his only son. Justin was aware that Craig was disappointed in his son's lack of interest in sports and 'manly' pursuits. He found it hard to understand his son's artistic leanings, but the man never actually confronted Justin with his feelings. Justin sometimes wondered if he was just perceiving it that way because he knew deep down that his father would not be happy to hear that his son was gay. Well, the die would soon be cast and there would be no turning back. His father, and everyone else would soon know who Justin Taylor really is.

Justin gave himself one more smile and left his bedroom. He knew he looked good, but the wolf whistle from his Mom, Daphne, and Ethan confirmed it as he walked into the living room. Even his little sister, Molly, seemed to approve. His dad had to work late at the store so he wasn't there to send Justin off for the last big event of his high school life. Everyone patiently waited while his Mom took photo after photo of the three young people before watching them climb into Daphne's car. A sad smile crossed Jennifer Taylor's face as she watched them leave. Her boy was no longer a child. That was sad enough, but the fact that she knew he had secrets that needed to be told also crossed her mind. Maybe he would soon know he could trust her, she thought to herself as she closed the front door and rejoined her youngest in the living room. But that was the future. For now, she just wanted Justin to make a memory at his last school dance that he would never forget.

*******************************************************

Part Two: The Event

Lights sparkled in every corner of the hotel ballroom. Music was lively and sparked dancing even on the sidelines of the dance floor. Couples mingled with one another and laughter could be heard throughout the large crowd. St. James Academy was a very popular private school that catered to all grades, and this year's Senior Class was one of its biggest. As in schools throughout the country, groups seemed defined by the personalities of their people. The most popular kids hung with the other most popular kids. Jocks hung out with the other jocks. The nerds had their section of the room. The outcasts had a very small group in another area of the room, since most of those wouldn't normally be caught dead at a Senior Prom anyway. The artistic group, of which Justin and his friends fit in most comfortably, had their area too. There was very little mingling of the factions, although a few independent souls strolled around from one group to another.

The dance floor was the only place where mingling seemed natural. Everyone enjoyed that activity and cared little who was around them at that time. Justin stood just off the edge of the floor with Ethan on one side of him and Daphne on the other. The dance was near the end of its second hour and it wouldn't last much longer. The friends had danced with a few other kids they knew, but usually danced as a threesome to the faster numbers when they got on the dance floor. Group dancing wasn't that uncommon and no one paid any attention to it. Justin began to feel a nervous energy taking over. He knew that the final dance was coming up very shortly and he was beginning to wonder if his plan was such a good idea. He knew there would be no more classes to worry about when it came to a reaction to his bold move from his classmates, but he wondered if he should wait a bit longer before actually coming out.

Almost directly on the heels of that thought came the notion that this was the perfect time to make his statement. If he didn't do it now, he would lose the opportunity to make his point once and for all. He was tired of the way his school acted like there was no such thing as a gay boy or girl among them. If he followed through with his plans, maybe some of the closeted kids in future classes would have the guts to come out and lead the way to equality for all of them. He always regretted not having the courage to do so himself during his Senior year, but he had not found an incentive strong enough to prompt such a move. The least he could do is show some guts now, before it was too late, he decided. Of course, everything would depend on Ethan's co-operation. It would take two to make this statement.

A few more dances were played, and then the DJ announced the final dance. It was an oldie, but goodie and a romantic slow one at that. The music started. Justin turned to Ethan, who was chatting animatedly with Daphne about the upcoming college year. Justin put out his hand in an obvious invitation to join him in the dance. Daphne noticed the gesture first and stopped in mid-sentence, her mouth dropping open. Was Justin kidding? She looked up from Justin's hand to his eyes. She could see that her best friend wasn't joking. Ethan caught the gesture and followed Daphne's gaze. That was when he realized what Justin was up to. He looked at Justin's hand, then up to his face, then back to his hand. Ethan felt a shiver run down his spine. Was Justin really asking him to dance a slow dance... just the two of them? He looked at Justin's face again and saw it was true!

Ethan was so surprised at first that he couldn't react. Moments passed as the trio held their breaths. Then, Ethan laid his hand in Justin's and the two walked onto the crowded dance floor. They embraced as their bodies began moving to the song. It took a few more beats before their fellow dancers realized what was happening. Justin and Ethan had a natural rhythm and it showed in the smooth way their bodies moved to the music. Little by little, other couples began to move away from the couple until they were in a circle of sparkling lights with no one else around them. Ethan was so happy, he didn't notice the change on the dance floor. Justin noticed it and reveled in the feeling it gave him. Somehow, he felt powerful... like he could take on the world and win any battle. It didn't matter who his partner was. The fact that he was dancing with a guy was all that mattered. 'Take that, St James' he thought to himself.

The song ended. Justin still felt the power flowing through his veins. Just one more step was needed. Ethan started to move out of Justin's arms. Justin stopped him. There wasn't a sound in the room. Justin pulled Ethan closer and planted a kiss on his lips. He let Ethan go, waiting for his reaction. The young man was too shocked to move. He had dreamed of Justin kissing him, but never thought it was possible. Justin leaned forward and whispered in Ethan's ear.

"I think the Prom is over. Shall we leave now?"

Justin smiled and offered his hand again. This time, Ethan didn't hesitate. He took Justin's hand and they walked off the dance floor together.

"I'm going to get the car," Daphne told them as they approached her. She wasn't terribly surprised by Justin's bold gesture, but thought it would be a good idea not to hang around too long for the aftermath.

The couple nodded and watched her hurry away. They went to their table to gather up the few souvenirs from the dance that they wanted as mementos. Although they were well aware that everyone seemed to be watching them, no one specific was noticed. If they had been watching more carefully they would have seen just how deep the fury was in one young man's face. Chris Hobbs couldn't hide how furious he was at Justin's blatant display of his perversions. Rage began building inside him like a long-dormant volcano suddenly come to life. His girlfriend touched his arm and he pulled away as if he had been scalded by burning oil.

"Don't touch me!" he growled.

Chris hurried from the ballroom, heading for the parking garage. All he could see were red flashes amidst images of Justin kissing Ethan. He reached his car just moments before Justin and Ethan appeared alone from the elevator leading into the garage. They were still walking hand in hand. Chris pushed the button on his keyring to open his car's trunk. He wasn't thinking any longer. He was moving on automatic pilot. He reached inside the trunk and grabbed the baseball bat he kept there for the games he often played with his Dad at the park. Chris had arrived at the hotel much earlier than Daphne so he was parked closer to the elevator. He watched as Justin and Ethan passed by him on the way to her car. He waited to see where they were going. They stopped a dozen rows down from him. The couple stopped when they reached Daphne's car. She was already inside warming up the engine.

"Why did you ask me to dance like that... and even more so, why the kiss?" Ethan had to ask.

"I thought it was time we stood up for ourselves and made the world take notice. I'm sorry if you weren't ready, but you could have said no."

"I could have... but I'm glad I didn't," Ethan admitted.

Justin leaned forward and kissed Ethan again. He wasn't in love with the guy, but he did care for him. When the kiss ended seconds later, the two separated. Ethan went around the car to get in on the driver's side. Justin moved to the passenger side and reached for the handle of the door. It was in that split second that Hobbs appeared directly behind Justin, his arm raised above his shoulder. Ethan looked over the roof of the car to smile at Justin when he saw the blur coming rapidly towards Justin. Something told him it was trouble. He screamed a warning.

"Justin!!!!"

It was too late. The sound of a bat striking flesh and bone echoed in the still air of the closed garage. Next came the sound of the bat striking concrete as it fell next to the limp body laying on the cold ground. Footsteps could be heard running away, and then a scream.

"No! No! Justin...no!"

Suddenly everything began moving in slow motion. Daphne and Ethan stood looking down at Justin's crumpled body as people began gathering from out of nowhere. Several people pulled out phones and dialed 911. Within minutes, police arrived followed closely by an ambulance. Officers gently pulled a sobbing Daphne away from Justin's body as Ethan stood by, frozen in shock. Shortly after, the sound of an ambulance siren screamed through the night on its way to the nearest hospital with the broken body of its young passenger inside.

**********************************************************

Part Three: The Aftermath

The smell of cleaning solutions and sorrow permeated the air around the people clustered in the waiting area of the emergency room. Fear held a vise grip on the heart of Jennifer Taylor. She had tried to call her husband at work but gotten no answer. The store had been closed for hours but he was obviously not in the office as he had told her. Wherever he was, he wasn't answering his cell. She had her suspicions, but at the moment she could have cared less what Craig Taylor was up to. She needed him here. Their son needed him here. She looked around her. She saw three or four of Justin's casual friends from school sitting alongside Daphne, all still dressed in their Prom finery. She could see blood droplets on the front of Daphne's pink dress and the sight sickened her. She knew whose blood it was. Molly sat next to her with tears running down her cheeks. Jennifer did her best to stay in control.

She had gotten the whole story from Daphne. She had tried to talk to Ethan when she first arrived, but he had left almost the moment she arrived. He had muttered something about his parents picking him up. She saw the fear in his eyes and wondered what caused it. That's when Daphne explained, with broken phrases, what had happened to bring Justin to his present state. For a moment, Jennifer felt a surge of anger at Ethan. It was as much his fault as Justin's that this thing had happened, she decided. But she dismissed the thought just as quickly. It was the fault of neither boy. It was that filthy bastard who had struck the blow, and run away like the coward he is, that was to blame. She prayed they'd catch him quickly and he would pay dearly for his hateful act.

It seemed an eternity before they finally got news that the emergency surgery to stop the cranial bleeding and relieve the pressure inside Justin's skull was a success, although he would be closely monitored for some time and was certainly not out of the woods yet. It took three days before Jennifer heard the news she had been waiting for... her son would live, although there would probably be major changes because of the damage to his brain. It would take a couple more weeks before they were able to say how much trouble the blow had actually caused Justin. By this time, the story of the attack was front page news and the reason behind it known by everyone. Craig began staying away from home for days at a time, having gotten a small apartment near his main store. The final blow to his marriage came at the end of the first month, while Justin was still in the hospital going through rehabilitation. Craig made the mistake of telling his wife that Justin had asked for it. His things were moved from the house that night.

Jennifer visited Justin every day of the two months he was in the rehabilitative hospital. Daphne and Molly often joined her. Ethan showed up a couple of times, but was not seen again after the day he was accosted by reporters just outside the hospital. Finally the day arrived that Justin was allowed to go home. It was an entirely different Justin than the one who had walked out that door the night of the Prom. This Justin was moody and became enraged over the smallest of things, although he always apologized quickly after. The worst part of it all was the nights. No matter how much medication he took, Justin was never able to get through a night without a nightmare forcing him awake with cries of fear and pain. That hurt the mother's heart more than anything.

The worst part for Justin were those times he struggled to draw again. The injury to his brain had caused him to lose control over his motor skills in the hand he drew and painted with. His dreams of entering PIFA were dashed. Every protest by his mother and Daphne that he would find another way to express himself fell on deaf ears. Justin began wondering what he had to live for. Even the news that Hobbs would stand trial for attempted murder did nothing to dissuade the young man from his dark thoughts. He had lost everything that mattered to him. His parent's marriage was ending and he barely saw his father at all anymore. His mother's protestations that Craig's infidelities were to blame didn't fool Justin. He felt it was his fault that they had separated. He no longer had his family or his future career to depend on, and all thanks to his own stupidity. That thought grew day by day inside the young man's mind, until it was like a cancer that had invaded every part of him.

Finally, the last straw landed on Justin's heart. He had spent the day reading art books and dreaming of how he wanted to be featured in one of his own someday. Later that evening, he had made another attempt to create a drawing of his jacket hanging on a hook on the back of his door. He had barely sketched out two lines when his hand went into severe spasms again as it held the pencil. It shook so bad, he had to give up his grip on the instrument. Justin let out a strangled scream of frustration and began knocking over his easel and art supplies. His mother, who had been putting away linens in the hallway closet, heard the commotion and rushed in. Justin turned his fury on her, pushing her away when she tried to stop his uncontrolled rampage. Jennifer looked on in horror as Justin declared out loud for the first time that he wished Hobbs had just killed him so it would be over with.

It took a lot of patience and fortitude for Jennifer to finally calm Justin down enough where she felt it was safe to leave him alone. She had never heard Justin talk like that before, but she was sure it was only the moment's frustration that caused it. Her son had always been full of a love of life. Despite feeling reassured that this was just an aberration, Jennifer made a mental note to see about getting Justin some counseling in the morning. She went to bed that night convinced that a counselor would help Justin to see the good things he still had to live for. The house went deathly quiet as everyone took to their beds. But not all minds rested.

Justin lay on his bed and watched the clock changing minute by minute... hour by hour. His mind wouldn't shut down. All he could see was darkness in his soul. He felt so tired... tired of being afraid, of having no future... or at least the future he had wanted all his life. He was tired of being alone. He was certain that he would never have a special someone in his life because he had developed a fear of being around other people, much less touched by them. He had tried twice to get out of the house and both times run back home drenched in sweat from the terror he felt when someone came too close. Justin had had enough. He made up his mind that he would be better off dead. Hobbs should have finished the job. He really didn't have anything worthwhile to live for.

The decision finally made, Justin found himself thinking about the sleeping pills his mother kept for him in her bathroom cabinet. It was his prescription, but she insisted on monitoring them so he didn't take too many during one of his really bad nights. Justin knew that the prescription had just been refilled. There was practically an entire bottle full of them. He slipped off his bed and padded quietly down the hall to his mother's room. The door was open. She left it that way every night now so she could hear if Justin cried out in the throes of another nightmare. Justin peeked in and saw that his mother appeared to be sound asleep. He tiptoed past her bed and into the master bathroom. He closed the door behind him and flipped on the light. He carefully checked the cabinet above the sink until he saw his medicine bottle. Justin could see that it was full. He slipped it into the pocket of his robe and turned off the light. Minutes later, Justin was back in his room.

Justin didn't give himself a chance to have second thoughts. It was now or never. He took the glass of water that was always ready by his bed and took a sip to wet his dry throat. He opened the bottle and shook out a handful of pills. Looking down at his full hand, he hesitated for only a second and then plopped them into his mouth. He gagged at first, but began swallowing water. Pill after pill slid down his throat. He waited until the last one was gone and then took a couple more for good measure. Justin set the empty glass on the stand and stretched out on his bed. He began to feel light headed soon after and his eyes closed slowly. The last conscious thought in his head was..... why?

Jennifer sprang awake, still shaking from a bad dream. She felt cold throughout her body. She got up and went to the bathroom to get a cup of water. Her mouth was as dry as a bone. When she turned on the light, she noticed that the cabinet door above the sink was partially open. Some motherly instinct told her to check inside. There was a noticeable gap on the shelf where Justin's prescription had been. She tried not to panic as she rushed from the room and made her way quickly to her son's door. Jennifer didn't bother to knock, but instead pushed it open wide. The light from the doorway fell across Justin's bed and she could see him lying there on top of the covers. That wouldn't have concerned her if she hadn't spotted the half empty bottle of pills on his desk. Jennifer fell to her knees next to the bed and shook her son hard.

"Justin!" she screamed. "Justin! Oh my god, what have you done? Justin, wake up!"

Her pleadings went unheard. Her son couldn't answer her anymore. She frantically checked his breathing. It was still there, but just barely. Jennifer spotted Justin's cell phone on the desk and desperately punched in 911. For the second time in Justin's young life, he was rushed to the hospital while his sobbing mother and sister waited helplessly to hear if he would live or die. Doctor's pumped his stomach but it was too late. Justin was still breathing, but he had slipped into a coma. Justin's doctor came out to the same waiting room that Jennifer had sat in just a few months earlier to tell her that they had no idea if he would ever awaken again. The nightmare of Prom Night was not over yet.

********************************************

Part Four: The Visitor

Justin opened his eyes and looked around him. There was a brightness to the room that almost blinded him. It took a moment for him to realize where he was. He was in a hospital room and there was someone lying in the bed that he was standing over. Justin looked at the face and pulled back startled. It was his own face. What the hell?

"Yes, that's you... or what's left of you," he heard a voice behind him say.

Justin whirled around and came face to face with a colorfully dressed man with a sad look on his face.

"How? What? Who are you?" Justin stammered out.

"I'm your guardian angel, and you can call me any name you like. As for the how and the what... that is for you to remember. It looks like you have given up on life and decided it was time to leave. Your Mom had other ideas. She called for help, but she may have been too late. Right now, you are hovering between life and death and it is up to you which path you take. You can give up and eventually you'll slip away. Of course, you can always choose to fight for your life and you might be successful. Then you will rejoin the living. So what will it be, Justin Taylor?"

Justin was mad. Why did everything have to be so hard. It seems he couldn't do anything right... not even ending his life.

"What the hell do I have to live for?" he moaned. If you're my guardian angel, then you know what has happened to me. I have no real future, so why keep struggling? And where were you when I needed you? Why didn't you stop me from making the biggest mistake of my life at the Prom?"

"First of all, I'm always with you, but I don't control you. You have free will and you made your choice. It is not my job to interfere with your fate. However, when you make a choice like you did tonight, I am allowed to show you the paths you have available so you can make your own choice which one to travel down. And although you didn't ask this question, I can tell you that you do indeed have a future, but only if you fight for your life. We all have a destiny to fulfill, but sometimes people are distracted by life and don't go on to complete their journeys. For them, the destiny goes unfulfilled. Now my question to you is, do you want to fulfill your destiny or let it go? Just remember that your destiny is always entwined with others and if you don't fulfill yours, then theirs is altered too. So what is your pleasure?"

"Are you telling me that you can see into the future and show me mine?"

"Do you want to know what will happen if you fight for your life and win? If you do, then I'll give you a preview of what you have in store waiting in your future. Mind you, I won't reveal everything. Life is no fun if there are no surprises. Wouldn't you agree?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

Justin looked down at the pale face of the young man he had become. He had always been a curious child, and now that curiosity was getting the better of him.

"Yes, I want to know what I'm going to miss," he replied in a soft voice.

"Then take my hand, young Justin. We are about to embark on an adventure."

**************************************************

Part Five: The Destiny

Justin looked around the large, open office space he found himself standing in. His spiritual guide laid a hand on his shoulder, easing the fear that enveloped the young man when he suddenly found himself in strange surroundings.

"Where are we?" Justin begged. "I've never been here before."

"Ahhh, 'tis true," the angel agreed. "And you never will if you choose death over life. If you choose life, however, this is the place where you will be employed in the future. You will decide that being a painter is an impossibility for you, so you decide on studying art history with the goal of perhaps being a teacher someday. You are given an assignment for school credit as an intern in the art department of a major ad agency."

"And what makes that so important to me? If I can't be the one thing I've wanted to be all my life, why should I care that I have to settle for second best," Justin protested, sounding like a peevish child.

"Ahhh, my dear boy, did I say that this would be your total lot in life? Did you not think that there might be a solution to your handicap when it comes to creating art? And perhaps there is someone who is waiting to show you the way. Also, was your career the only thing you wanted in life?"

Justin thought for a moment. "Of course not. I'm no different than most people. I would like to find someone special, but....."

"But what, my dear boy? You haven't found someone yet... and you are all of eighteen years old? It is too late for the right man to come along, perhaps?"

Justin blushed with embarrassment. "Well, when you put it like that, I know it sounds ridiculous."

"Very few people find their true loves at such a young age, but you could be the exception if you don't give up on life. Follow me," his angel instructed, taking Justin by the hand.

The two walked out of the large room filled with many drafting tables and desks and down a short hall to an opaque glass door. Without bothering to open the door, his angel pulled Justin through to the other side. They were now standing in a smaller office that held a wide office desk and chair with two other chairs facing it. Over to the side was a long leather couch. Justin looked in that direction and then quickly looked away, startled at what he was witnessing on the couch. There were two men there, one on top of the other. Neither was dressed. It was dimly lit in the room and Justin could see only darkness out the office window. Obviously work hours were over. He couldn't tell who the two men were, but was shocked that an angel was letting him see such a thing.

"What is this? What are you showing me?" he begged for answers.

"Just watch and learn."

Justin turned back to the couple on the couch. The couple began separating, sitting up next to each other. Justin let out an audible gasp. The young man who had been lying beneath the taller dark-haired stranger was himself. His head whipped around, questions blazing in his eyes as he stared at his companion.

"Yes, Justin. That is you, if you make the right choice. And that is the man that you will love with every ounce of your heart and soul, not to mention your body."

"But who is he? I've never seen him before," he asked, returning his gaze to the extraordinarily handsome older man.

"You haven't met him yet, and you never will if you don't fight to stay alive. I have to tell you that not only will your death change your life, but also the life of this man... and in a profound way."

"How do you mean?" Justin asked again, finding it hard to take his eyes off the beautiful man holding onto his mortal self so tightly now in a loving hug, while placing soft kisses on his lips.

"The man you see before you didn't believe in love... not until you entered his life. He actually met you for the first time at the hospital. He was visiting a friend of his who was in the next bed, also suffering a coma thanks to a drug overdose. He never quite forgot you. Something about your face called out to him. If you give up the fight for your life, this man will go on to remember your face for the rest of his life. It will haunt his dreams, but he'll never understand why. It is because you are his destiny, but the two of you never got the chance to connect. If you fight to come back to the living, your destinies will be fulfilled. If not, neither of you will ever know true love."

Justin watched the lovers as they talked of things and caressed one another. They joked together, and Justin could see how deeply their affection for each other ran. An overwhelming sadness overcame him at the thought of never meeting this man. A question popped into Justin's head.

"I have just one question? Are we always this happy?"

The angel could not control himself. He let out a loud laugh. Again, Justin was startled. It took a moment for the angel to regain control, but he answered the question when he did.

"You can't truly feel what happiness is unless you experience enough sadness in your life to know the difference, my boy. Like all couples, you will have your deep sorrows and your unbridled joys. But through it all, you will have your love. That will never change, no matter what face it is wearing at that moment in time."

"Can I see some of those things that will make us unhappy so I can prevent them?"

"It is not my job to make life easier for you, Justin. It is only to give you enough of a glimpse into the possibilities that you will be giving up if you choose to die, so that you can make an informed decision. But time is running out. Your life line is getting weaker and your heart will not beat much longer if you don't start struggling to come back to life. I will give you one more glimpse into the future, but no more. The rest you must experience for yourself... if you give yourself the chance."

In an instant, Justin saw that they were no longer in the office. Instead, they were in an area that looked like a banquet room. Justin saw the stranger again, and this time he was dressed in a beautiful tux. Justin saw himself, also dressed in formal wear. The stranger had his arms around Justin's mortal self from behind and his face was buried in the blond hair. Justin could hear the man telling him that he loved him and was happy to marry him. Before Justin could respond to what he was witnessing, the angel grabbed his hand again and the images disappeared in a flash once more.

Justin was once more standing in his hospital room, looking down on his own body stretched on the bed. He glanced over to the other side of the room and saw that there was another patient lying motionless there. He was a rather small man with very dark hair. Justin thought back on what the angel had said about meeting the stranger when he came to visit his roommate. He smiled. He heard the angel speak beside him.

"It is all up to you now, Justin. Make your choice. Your time is almost up."

Justin looked at the monitor over his shoulder. He could see that his lifeline was getting weaker and weaker with each blip. He made his decision in that instant.

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Part Six: The Awakening

Jennifer entered her son's room. She had just returned from taking a short break to get a cup of coffee. Her heart was breaking. She felt such anger at herself for not seeing the warning signs that her son had given up on life. If he didn't come back to her, she would never forgive herself. He had so much to give the world. She had so much she wanted to tell him. She wanted him to know that she was proud of him and loved every part of him. She wanted to see him fall in love with somebody... some man who would love him back. She wanted him to be happy, no matter what. She glanced briefly over at the other comatose gentleman in the room and wondered what his story was. Was he going to leave behind grieving loved ones too, if he never woke up? It was in that moment that she heard a faint sound from Justin's bed. She quickly looked down.

Justin's eyes fluttered. Jennifer's heart skipped a beat. They fluttered again. A soft sound, almost like a sigh escaped Justin's lips. Jennifer frantically rang the nurses bell and announced that her son appeared to be waking. The room was suddenly alive with white uniforms as several nurses and doctors filed in. Jennifer stood to the side and waited breathlessly. Long minutes passed and then they stepped aside so that she could come closer. She walked up to the bed and saw her son's beautiful blue eyes open and looking right at her. A partial smile appeared on the young man's face. Jennifer fell to the side of the bed and wrapped her arms around her son. Tears fell on his chest.

It took a while for the doctor's to be reassured that Justin had suffered no ill after effects from his foolish actions. Eventually the room was cleared again and only Justin, Jennifer, and the other patient were left in the room. Jennifer had so many questions to ask her son, but now was not the time. She simply wanted him to know how overjoyed she was that he had come back to her. They talked for a short while longer, until she could see that Justin was tired from his exertions. He had fought for his life and deserved his rest.

She told him she would be back first thing in the morning and that she loved him. As Jennifer stepped to the door to leave, it was suddenly opened by a very tall brunet with piercing hazel eyes. He smiled at her as he passed by and moved over to the side of the bed of Justin's roommate. She smiled back, then smiled at her son. His gaze was on the man who had just entered. She stepped from the room. Yes, she thought to herself, her son will live. He will have a full rich life And with any luck he will also have someone to share it with... someone who will love him in every way possible. And she would rejoice.

The End


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